Vocalization

The online music fraternity has opened up avenues for a diverse genre of artistes. One can tap in the online mediums to acquaint themselves with a diverse and engaging culture of self-published original music. The means are endless when it comes to music production, but one thing remains of constant importance- nailing the vocals.

Not everyone has got the setup for a professional recording studio. But, there are some essentials, which if done right can effectively help one reach that level of the desired perfection. Let’s discuss the same:

Getting the headphone mix bang on- The headphone mix makes it easier for singers to navigate easily. Moreover, a self-tuned monitor level helps the singers be comfortable with the desired pitch and throw.

Getting the right stereo phone- The vocal output is as good as the reception. Therefore, it is foolhardy to rely on budget microphones. Investing on a good and branded microphone s essential for capturing goo vocals.

Rehearsing- Voice modulation and other tweaks aside, the good old fashioned exercise of rehearsing multiple times before final take is of importance. You can never leave anything to chance.

Getting the room aesthetics right- Good microphones are sensitive to sound. They pick up the direct sound as well as reflected ones. Minimize sound clutter by improving the sound aesthetics of the recording room.

Minimizing popping and sibilance- The untrained singers can have this problem. The annoying low-end boost can be minimized by fine tuning the angle and distance if the microphone. Testing it multiple times before taking does help.

Minimizing internal noise- While the room aesthetics can take care of external noises, the internal noise like footsteps can also join in the equation. A good way to counter that is to use shock mount to isolate the microphone and the stand.

Using compression- Now this trick can have some pessimistic views but is worth giving a try. To cut out the unevenness of voice, a little compression while recording does help. One can target for about 5-8dB of gain reduction to get the optimum output.

Abolish gating from your recording exercise- A gate, if badly set up can effectively ruin a take. The amateurs especially should keep the gating exercise for the mixing stage.

Get the grammar right- Yes, this is actually important. Overemphasis on consonants can cause the unnecessary hiss that can ruin the balance of the song. Focusing more on vowels will help normalize the air intake in case of consonants. This is an advanced technique and needs practice.

Imagining audience- Now, this is a psychological thing rather than technical. Imagining an audience in front of the singer will help the singer with the sincerity and believability that a live performance requires.

There are obviously more advanced techniques for better takes, but keeping true to these basics does help-especially if you are Indie singer.